Mechanism for controlling movement



J. A. REY.

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING MOVEMENT.

APPLICATlON flLED Nov.3o,1914.

1,299,509, Patented Apr. 8,1919

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. A. REY.

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING MOVEMENT.

APPLlCATlON FILED NOV- 30.1914.

1,299,509. Patented Apr. 8,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JEAN ALEXANDRE REY, OF PARIS,

OFFICE.

FRANCE.

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING MOVEMENT Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

Application filed November 80, 1914. Serial No. 874,937.

. To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JEAN ALEXANDRE REY, of 26 Avenue deSuifren, Paris,France, engineer, have invented a new and useful Improvement inMechanism for Controlling Movement, which improvement is fully set forthin the following specification.

This invention has for its object improvements in mechanism forcontrolling movement at a distance, such improvements beingparticularlyapplicable to mechanism for the central control of guns onboard ship.

For this purpose it is necessary to be able to simultaneously andcontinuously (or permanently) aim several uns from a single controlstation where t e fire director is. The guns should therefore alwaysremain parallel with each other and with the controlling member.

Nevertheless in practice it is necessary to provide for a case in whichthe guns deviate from the position which they should be in. This maytake place after firing by reason of the great strains thereby produced,or this may take place owing to some abnormal resistance, or to damage,or to the momentary movement of one gun only.

In this case so soon as the cause of the abnormal deviation hasdisappeared, the gun should return of itself to the normal position. I

According to this invention I combine together two controls of knowntype operated from a single control station (an aiming telescope forexample) and actuating one or more controlled members (guns and searchlight for example) through the intermediary of differential gearing orits equivalent. One control is rapid (but may be occasionally faultybecause of a certain angular separation between the control member andthe controlled member or members) and mainly actuates the controlledmember or members, while the other control, which is accurate for suchangular separation, makes the corrections and acts to correct thedeviation which may take place between the control member and thecontrolled member or members, the two controls acting simultaneously.

The second control should respond for a deviation less than thatrequired for the precision agreed upon.

The invention is illustrated in the accomcircuits of the two motors eand e,.

, panyie drawings as pp ied to m n n where1n Figure l is a diagrammaticview illustrating one arrangement embodying the invention, and,

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modified arrangementembodying the invention.

a is a usual aiming telescope mounted on an ainnng apparatus or bridgeI); a represents a support for the bridge with which support guns suchas cl should be maintained parallel.

One gun d only is shown, but the circuits are indicated to Show that anynumber of guns may be controlled simultaneously.

In Fig. 1 is shown an arrangement for aiming a gun with respect toaltitude. A small dynamo electric machine 6 is employed to rotate thecentral controlling element, such as a telescope a, through theintermediary of the Worm 1, sector 2, support a and bridge 6. A seconddynamo electric machine e, is connected in parallel with the motor 6 andactuates the controlled element. such as a gun d, through theintermediary of differential gearing f to be described hereinafter, itbeing understood that there is a separate motor 6, for each of the controlled elements. The motor 22, constitutes the main actuating means forthe gun d and may cause the gun to be rotated in either direction and atthe required speed, simultaneously with a corresponding movement of thetelescope, through manipulation of a reversing control or switch-lever gin the This lever is positioned to be operated by the fire director whenstationed at the telescope a. As illustrated, the system controlled bythe lever g is of the potentiometer type which admits of the obtainingof the speed desired. As motors e and e, are connected in parallel,actuation of the control-lever 9 starts both motors in the samedirection and at the same speed. These motors are synchronized by anydesired mechanism, that illustrated comprising three rings h mounted"upon each of the respective motor shafts and engaged by brushesconnected in parallel. Thereby each of the motors constitutes agenerator of alternating current of similar phase, and as thesegenerators are i 1ts axis connected in parallel, substantiallysynchronous movement of the motors is insured. The secondary actuatingmeans for each gun comprises a direct-current motor e mounted adjacentthe motor 6 Motor 6' is automatically actuated to rotate in eltherdirection and at a suitable speed by a controlling mechanism which isoperated as soon as the gun d deviates from its normal or predeterminedrelation with the support 0 by an amount greater than that necessary forthe required precision. This motor e is connected with the differentialby which motor 6 moves the gun ct. The arrangement illustrated andpreferred, though various other arrangements will suggest themselves tothose skilled in the art, comprises worms 3 and 4.- upon the shafts ofmotors e and 6 these worms respectively meshing with worm-wheels 5 and 6upon the shafts of bevels 7 and 8. Bevels 7 and 8 mesh respectively withbevels 9 and 10 journaled on -gear 11, and constitute a difierentlal.Gear 11, through pinion 12, worm 13 and sector 14, -I110Ves the gun d tothe desired angular amount. stationary and thereby holds bevel 8 stationary. The rotation of the bevel 7 by motor 6 then produces a rotation ofgear 11 about whereby the gun a3 is moved. If motor 8' is actuated, itcauses a rotation of bevel 8 which, depending upon the direction ofrotation, tion of gear 11, correcting the'movement imparted-to the gun dby motor 6 hile various means may be employed to automatically actuatethe motor 6' when gun d and telescope a lose their normal orpredetermined relationship, such as parallelism, that preferredcomprises an apparatus of known construction employing the principle ofthe Wheatstone-bridge and only shown conventionally on the drawing.Mounted to move respectively with the support 0 and the gun d aremovable contact members 15 and 16 which'sweep over graded resistancesmounted in the boxes 2' and 71'. So long as the-contact members 15 and16 move corresponding amounts, the variation in the resistance of therespective arms of the circuit is equal and no current flows through thebridge circuit. So s'oon, however, as contact members 15 and 16 movedlsproportionate amounts there is a corresponding difference in the twoarms of th a difference of resistance in the e circuit, whereby there ispotential between the boxes 1 and i, and acorresponding flow of currentthrough the bridge circuit. I This flow of current through the bridgecircuit may be utilized in any preferred way to start motor 6', in theappropriate direction for correcting the movement of the gun d. The

preferred arrangement comprises relays (not shown) actuated by thecurrent flowing mg switches in.

. the relays are restored to normal Normally, motor e is.

will vary the speed ofrotageared to through the bridge circuit, theserelays closthe circuit of the motor c to start the same in eitherforward or reverse direction as the case may be. As soon as motor e hascaused a correction of the deviation of the gun (l and restored it toparallelism with the support 0, the balance of the electrical systemcontact members 15 and 1 6 is restored, no current flows through thebridge circuit, and position and motor 'e again held stationary. Themotor e comes intoaction in the following cases I 1. When speedis'verythe brushes of the motors e, e, is no longer suificientto insure theirsynchronism. k

2. When the gun has deviated for any reason.

When reason.

low, the voltage at the telescope has deviated for any controlled by theJ 4:. When the back lash of the gearing between the motor 6 and the gun(Z exceeds the required precision.

5. When an accident or abnormal resistance renders the motor 6,stationary.

The training of the gun is effected on the same principle by othersimilar parts.

In place of continuous current motors provided with three rings anyother type of synchronous motor may be employed.

In place of the differential gearing any p other equivalent arrangementmay be employed.

Fig. 2 shows amodification applied to the training of guns, thismodification differing from that heretofore described in that motor edirectly rotates a table j through the worm 17, worm-gear 18, worm 19,and teeth upon the table y. Table j carries a direct-current motor isand a gun d, the latter being mounted upon an auxiliary table 20 whichmay be rotated by the motor k through the intermediary of the worm andworm-gear 21. The means for starting and stopping the motor 70 is thesame as that heretofore described With respect to the modification ofFig. 1. So long as motor 6, parallelism with support 0, stationary andthe auxiliary held by motor is stationary with respect to table 3'. Upona deviation from the aforesaid parallelism, motor lc will rotate in theappropriate direction to rotate auxiliary table 20 and gun d to an ountto rectify the deviation.

Claims:

1. In a mechanism for controlling movement at a distance, thecombination with two or more movable elements normally moving in apredetermined relation and synchronized motors for moving the same, ofmeans for correcting deviations from said predetermined relationcomprising an auxiliary motor one of said elements and electrical movesgun d in naeaeoa devices under the control of said elements for startingand stopping said auxiliary motor upon the occurrence and correctionmotor connected to the opposite side of said differential, connectionsbetween said difi'erential and the corresponding said element, andelectrical devices under the control of said elements for starting andstopping said auxiliary motor upon the occurrence and correctionrespectively of a deviation.

3. In a mechanism for controlling movement at a distance, thecombination with two or more movable elements normally moving in apredetermined relation and synchronized motors for moving the same, ofmeans for correcting deviations from said predetermined relationcomprising an auxiliary motor geared to one of said elements, andWheatstone bridge apparatus operatively connected with said auxiliarymotor for starting and stopping the same.

4. In a mechanism for controlling movement at a distance, thecombination with two or more movable elements normally moving inapredetermined relation and synchronized motors for moving the same, ofmeans for correcting deviations from said predetermined relationcomprising an auxiliary mo- 7 tor geared to one of said elements, and

Wheatstone bridge apparatus controlled by said movable elements andoperatively connected with said auxiliary motor for starting andstopping the same.

5. In a mechanism for controlling movement at a distance, thecombination with two or more movable elements normally moving in apredetermined relation and synchronized motors for moving the same, ofmeans for co-rrecting deviations from said predetermined relationcomprising a differential connected at one side to one of said motors,an auxiliary motor connected to the opposite side of said difi'erential,connections between said differential and the corresponding saidelement, and Wheatstone bridge apparatus operatively connected with saidauxiliary motor for starting and stopping the same.

' 6. In a mechanism for controlling movement at a distance, thecombination with two or more movable elements normally moving in apredetermined relation and synchronized motors for moving the same, ofmeans for correcting deviations from said predetermined relationcomprising a difi'erential connected at one side to one of said motors,an auxiliary motor connected to the opposite side of said differential,connections between said differential and the corresponding saidelement, and Wheatstone bridge apparatus controlled by said elements,and pperatively connected with said auxiliary motor'for starting andstopping the same.

7. In a mechanism for controlling movement at a distance, a controllingelement. one or more controlled elements, means whereby movement of thecontrolling element normally produces a corresponding movement of thecontrolled element or elements, and diflerential mechanism in thedriving train of each controlled element and comprising an independentlyoperated driv-r ing member actuated automatically upon the occurrence ofany deviation of a controlled element from its normal relation to thecontrolling element for correcting said deviation.

8. In a mechanism for controlling movement at a distance, a controllingelement, one or more controlled elements, centrally controlledsynchronized motors for moving said elements whereby movement of thecontrolling element is accompanied by a corre sponding movement of thecontrolled clement or elements, and differential mechanisin in thedriving'train of each controlled element and comprising an independently0perated driving member actuated automatically upon the occurrence ofany deviation of a controlled element from its normal relation to thecontrolling element for correcting said deviation.

9. In a mechanism for controlling movement at a distance, a controllingelement, one or more controlled elements, means whereby movement of thecontrolling ele- .ment normally produces a corresponding movement of thecontrolled element or elements, and means for correcting any deviationof a controlled element from its normal relation to the controllingelement comprising an auxiliary motor geared to each of the controlledelements and means for starting and stopping the corresponding auxiliarymotor Whenever a deviation from said normal relation respectively occursand is corrected.

10. In a mechanism for controlling movement at a distance, a controllingelement, one or more controlled element-s. centrallycontrolledsynchronized motors for moving said elements whereby movement of thecontrolling element is accompanied by a corresponding movement of thecontrolled element or elements, and means for correcting any deviationof a controlled element from its normal relation to the controllingelement comprising an auxiliary motor geared to each of the controlledelements and means for starting and stopping the corresponding auxiliarymotor whenever a deviation from said normal relation respectively occursand is corrected.

11. In a mechanism for controlling movement at a distance, a controllingelement, one or more controlled elements, centrallycontrolledsynchronized motors for'moving said elements whereby movement of thecontrolling element is accompanied by a corresponding movement of thecontrolled element or elements, a difi'erential between each controlledelement and its motor, an auxiliary motor connected to eachdifi'erential, and means for starting and stopping the correspondingsaid auxiliary motor whenever a controlled element respectively deviatesfrom and returns to its normal relation to said controlling element.

In a mechanism for controlling move ment at a distance, a controllingelement, one or more controlled elements, centrallycontrolledsynchronized motors for moving said elements whereby movement of thecontrolling element is accompanied by a corresponding movement of thecontrolled element or elements, a differential between each controlledelement and its motor, an auxil iary motor connected to eachdifferential, and means for starting and stopping the corresponding saidauxiliary motor whenever a controlled element respectively deviates fromand returns to its normal relation to said. controlling elementcomprising Wheatstone bridge apparatui's operatively connected with saidauxiliary motor.

13. In a mechanism for controlling movement at a distance, a controllingelement, one or more controlled elements, centrallycontrolledsynchronized motors for moving said elements whereby movement of thecontrolling element is accompanied by a corresponding movement of thecontrolled element or elements, a differential between each controlledelement and the motor, an auxiliary motor connected to eachdifl'erential, and means for starting and stopping the correspondingsaid auxiliary motor whenever a controlled element respectively deviatesfrom and returns to its normal relation to said controlling elementcomprising Wheatstone'bridge apparatus controlled by said elements andoperatively connected with said auxiliary motor.

14. In a mechanism for controlling move-- ment at a distance, acontrolling element, one or more controlled elements,centrallycontrolled synchronized motors for moving said elements wherebymovement of the controlling element is accompanied by a correspondingmovement of the controlledg element or elements, and means .forcorrecting any deviation of a controlled element from its normalrelation to the controlling element comprising an auxiliary motor gearedto each of the controlled elements and electrical means forautomatically starting and stopping the corresponding said auxiliarymotor whenever a deviation from said nor mal relation respectivelyoccurs and is corrected.

15. In a mechanism for controlling movement at a distance, a controllingelement, one or more controlled elements, centrallycontrolledsynchronized motors for moving said elements whereby movement of thecontrolling element is accompanied by a corresponding movement of thecontrolled element or elements, and means for correcting any deviationof a controlled element from its normal relation to the controllingelement comprising an auxiliary motor geared to each of the controlledelements, and Wheatstone bridge apparatus operatively connected withsaid auxiliary motor.

16. In a mechanism for controlling movement at a distance, a controllingelement, one or more controlled elements, centrallycontrolledsynchronized motors for moving said elements whereby movement of thecontrolling element is accompanied by a corresponding movement of thecontrolled element or elements, and means for correcting any deviationof a controlled element. from its normal relation to the controllingelement comprising an auxiliary motor geared to each of the controlledelements, and Wheatstone bridge apparatus controlled by said elementsand operatively connected with said auxiliary motor. I 0

In testimony whereof I have signed thls specification. in the presenceof two subscrib-

